Community Question | Who Here Uses VR, And Why?

[Paul Jeffrey]

Sim racing is far more than just the simulations themselves - a long, wide and varied array of hardware can be used to enhance your experience, and one such device is VR - but who here uses it on a regular basis?

VR - otherwise known as Virtual Reality, brings with it the ability to place a driver right into the heart of a virtual racing cockpit. Adding an immersive 3D experience to the driving aspect of sim racing, the technology and immersion are no doubt impressive - but can come with a cost - namely loss of visual performance, high PC horsepower demand and the (potential) discomfort of wearing a headset for prolonged periods of time.

As with much in life, one has to weigh up the pros and cons and VR is no different. With that said, I'd love to know how many of us here at RaceDepartment regularly use their VR headsets when sim racing, and the reasons why they prefer it (or not) over traditional screens.

Fire away in the comments section and poll!

 

[jeefAD]

Tried VR a while ago and found there is an immersion factor, but too many strikes against at the time for me. I don't like the feeling of wearing the HMD, found setting IDP finicky and was not impressed by the resolution/perceptible screen door effect. I also like to see my surroundings/mouse/keyboard/button box. So I'll stick with triples. Keeping tabs on the G2 and whatnot, but not likely to make a purchase any time soon.

 

[Duke55]

Stupid question, but what are the inexpensive options for VR? Im looking at below $400USD.

The 256GB Oculus Quest 2 on Amazon is going for $399USD. The 64GB version is cheaper, but seems to be a bit of a shortage of them at the moment.

 

[MyWay72]

I'm racing since the Prototype of Oculus CV1 was in my hands - really early days. I remember that it was totally flashing my brain as I was able to sit in the car and look arround. All the Details (now with my HP Reverb) from the interio - amazing and the immersion is the best you can get. I would never change back to any monitor or beamer - but I understand some of you who aren't able to use it because of the motion sickness - which effects me sometimes too. Anyway I would hardly reccomend to try this out if you didn't had the chance until now!!!

 

[TheRealCeeBee]

used it a lot initially, gimmick factor, then just got annoyed, crap on my head, hot sweaty face, bad to really bad UI's in simracing for it, alwasy looking for my damn mouse, VR is to gaming visuals as RF2 loading time is to simracing.. great if you are patient, otherwise not. my vive is in a pile in the corner now, plug it in now and then when the kids want to play Alyx, back to triples for me. click play. play.

 

[Serge.M]

VR for all sims, can’t do 2D screen, it’s like looking through a portal in to another world that’s still 2D instead of being in that world.

I’d say for a fair amount of VR users it’s VR or no buy because we simply don’t have screens in front of our rigs any more, I certainly don’t.

 

[DirkW]

The poll is very narrow between always use, and never used VR! Let's see what happens when Georgia is counted I am quite surprised that so many use VR, I thought is was still kind of a niche product but apparently for simracing it has found its place (for me certainly)

 

[Deleted member 197115]

...

 

[onearmedbandit46]

I've had my VR for just on 18mths now, the entire set up wasn't cheap but in that 18mths I have got my monies worth ten fold. Currently using a Vive Pro with a buttkicker (the game feels lifeless without that running) but will be updating to the next big step in VR when we get it, I won't go back to flatscreen.

Question for VR users. How you press buttons on your real steering wheel during racing? Adjusting pit strategy?

Muscle memory

 

[F2020]

used it a lot initially, gimmick factor, then just got annoyed, crap on my head, hot sweaty face, bad to really bad UI's in simracing for it, alwasy looking for my damn mouse, VR is to gaming visuals as RF2 loading time is to simracing.. great if you are patient, otherwise not. my vive is in a pile in the corner now, plug it in now and then when the kids want to play Alyx, back to triples for me. click play. play.

Id personally say most of your issues are no longer issues with the right kit and software.

 

[alfye20]

Id personally say most of your issues are no longer issues with the right kit and software.

The right kit for me would be a cyberimplant on the retine with mixed reality. Nothing disturbing in my head and the ability to see my gadgets.
Must wait

 

[travzy]

There is one choice missing --> I tried but no i can`t because of motion sickness

Seriosly i tried but after about 30 seconds i almost vomit on the floor

I used to get motion sickness after a couple of minutes but I persisted with it doing short stints and now I can spend hours in VR, perhaps it’s worth another go ?

 

[Mike1304]

Nevertheless, i would already have switched to VR, if it wouldn't still feel like an early adopter tech to me, unfortunately, as impressive, as it is.

Problem is, if there aren’t enough “early adopters” and everyone just waits for a new technology product to be perfect and cheap it simply won’t happen. The industry will stop development and production because it is simply not worth it due to the high costs and low turnover. If something cannot be implemented quickly and profitably on the market, the product will unfortunately disappear from the market.
I hope this won’t happen and at least people who can afford it are willing to invest in the new technology even if there is room for future improvement.
For me VR is more than worth it even in current state to an extent that I cannot play a game which also has VR support in pancake mode...

 

[Kiryu]

Same here. I never experienced any motion sickness. First time in vr, I booted up assetto corsa on a nordschleife track day server in the rx7 and stayed on there the whole evening, only stopping briefly to change cars a couple times.

I basically did the same, except the online part

Did not experience any motion sickness and since that day, i exclusively use vr and have no intentions of ever using monitors for racing again.

Can't wait for the G2 to arrive, should be a massive upgrade from the CV1!

 

[Tim Meuris]

What's so special about that g2 compared to the rest of these vrsets?

 

[Kiryu]

Just seems to be a good overall solution for simracing.

High resolution with a seemingly excellent panel, good audio (same as valve index), allegedly no issue with god rays, huge sweet spot, manual ipd regulation, comfortable, improved (inside out) tracking and controllers compared to first gen wmr headsets, no facebook account required and not too expensive.

Some people are finally getting their hands on them now, so first impressions should soon trickle in.

 

[Vintagedriver01]

For me I can not do without VR, if a game is without VR I’m not going to buy it like F1-2020 or MS FS2020.

I have exchanged my monitor setup to an old small 1280x1024 19” TFT, because I do not need an big monitor. strange but this 15y old monitor was still working after an rest of 8y and is capable to run 75hz.
My son is happy with my monitor setup and I have lots of space at my desk now.

 

[MarcG]

I keep seeing the odd person saying "resolution isn't there yet" but for my and my Reverb (G1) it is, even at 100% default it's like having a monitor strapped to your face and a whole massive leap up from what the Rift CV1 was.

I've even started pumping the SS upto 150% in RF2 & AMS2 and that makes another massive difference, I don't notice any screen door when in the heat of battle, there's no trouble seeing cars/textures/objects far off in the distance, it's just so good and yet resolution will only get better with further HMDs including better clarity in the G2.

 

[Nevini]

What's so special about that g2 compared to the rest of these vrsets?

Resolution baby, all about the pixels ;-)
2160x2160 per eye.

Valve pro 1440x1600
Rift s 1280x1440

Thats why the 3090 is a must so you can max the gfx settings

 

[Sally71]

You still move your head unnaturally a lot to compensate for the small peep holes you have in vr where in real life you would just move your eyes.

Peripheral vision is lost and it feels like your blinkered. Yes it's amazing as said by others. But as a glasses wearer too it still has flaws which make flat ultrascreen just as useable for me. And I think after a while the flaws overtake the honeymoon period of vr.

But to add games outside of simracing like on quest. I play onward and mini golf and table tennis. These are totally amazing and like sim racing brings it that, "actual doing it" immersion.

 

[JustDaisy]

It really depends on the game for me. Due to issues with the Oculus environment I can't run AC in VR yet, but I do play Dirt Rally 2.0 in VR as I drive vastly better in VR and its just a lot more immersive.